Sources of parenting support in early fatherhood: Perspectives of United States Air Force members

Abstract

We conducted semi-structured focus groups with men in the United States Air Force (N = 39) to examine fathers' access to parenting information during the transition to parenthood, and to determinemethods for engaging fathers in intervention. Results of content analysis highlight fathers' motivation to develop and maintain positive relationships with their partners and children despite substantial challenges, including multiple deployments, family moves, and demanding work responsibilities. Fathers emphasize the importance of information in facilitating the transition to parenthood, especially in the key domains of effective co-parenting and communication, children's developmental milestones, and appropriate use of discipline. Results underscore thatmen tend to rely more on informal sources of parenting information (e.g., spouse/partner, family members, friends) than on formal sources of information (e.g., pediatricians, social workers).